Hermione's Secret
by PineappleKisses
Summary: Hermione has a HUGE secret that she's keeping from the guys! She's in L-O-V-E! But the question is with who? Is it Ron? or Harry? or even Neville! Read to find out! And please review it means the world to me! Rated T just because I'm not sure...
1. Chapter 1: Stupid Boys

**Chapter 1-Stupid Boys**

Harry and Ron were sitting in the Gryffindor common room in their usual armchairs by the fire. Hermione had been reading her Ancient Runes book when she came across something she didn't understand and ran off to the library, like Hermiones usually do. Unlike other people who, even if they were reading their schoolbooks for fun would've just shrugged and kept going. So the two friends were free to eat Bernie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and talk of things that would otherwise earn scowls and criticizing comments from their brainy friend.

"Have you noticed how odd she's been acting?" asked Ron while chewing on bright orange carrot flavored bean. "Who, Hermione? She's always running off to the library, I would've thought it odd if she didn't." Harry answered simply.

"Well, yeah me too. That wasn't what I was talking about though. She's always staring out windows sighing, and didn't you notice her humming today during Herbology? Plus she was nearly skipping to Potions yesterday." Ron pointed out while sniffing a brown bean and putting it back.

"Now that you mention it, she does seem a little distracted. She's hardly answered any questions all week, and I did think it was odd when I saw her doodling instead of taking notes in History of Magic." Harry said slowly picking up a dark green one. "Gross spinach," he said grimacing.

"Exactly," Ron said excitedly, "I'm telling you Harry, there's something _wrong_ with her." He paused, "Maybe we should send her to the hospital wing." "It's probably just some weird girl thing. Why don't you just ask her if you're that worried?" Ron simply stared at Harry. "What?"

"Bloody hell, Harry, you can't just ask a girl what's wrong with her!" he banged his fist on the table spilling the candy, "Either she'll get upset with you or you'll get some bloody stupid story on how she broke a nail! No, what we need to do is find out for ourselves."

"You don't mean follow her, do you?" Harry asked shocked, as he bent to pick up the flavored beans.

"It's the only way, Harry. Do you really think she's going to tell us?" Ron questioned, as he ate a white one right off the ground.

" Or," said a voice above them, "you could ask someone who knows exactly what's wrong."

"What are you talking about Ginny?" Ron asked annoyed. "Do you know why she's acting so weird?" Harry asked, getting up from the floor. "Of course she doesn't, Harry, she's just butting in." Ron said as he popped a red bean into his mouth. "Ketchup. Hmm, not bad."

"Well, I don't know exactly why," Ginny, said with her hand on her hip as she took a purple colored bean from Ron's hand, "but I have a pretty good guess. After all I have an advantage you two don't."

They both looked at her with blank faces. Sighing Ginny pointed out, "I'm a girl." "So," Ron snorted, "what does that have to do with anything?"

Before Ginny could even raise her hand to give Ron a good smack on the forehead, for being the exact opposite of brilliant, Hermione climbed through the portrait hole looking rather pleased and smiling. She walked over to them, picked up a yellow bean and sat in an armchair, sighing distractedly.

"I'm guessing you found what you were looking for at the library." Harry said trying to be casual. "Hmm," she asked surprised looking up, "oh yes, I found it."

It was quiet for a minute as Ron looked at Harry and Harry looked at Ginny, who was trying to tell him something by mouthing the words, and pointing at Hermione, but Harry had never really been good at reading lips.

Hermione yawned widely and stretched, "I think I'm going to go to bed. See you in the morning." She got up, picked up her bag and turned to walk up the stairs that went to the girl's dormitories, smiling the whole time.

Ginny started giggling, and hid her mouth behind her hand. Ron looked at her, "What's so funny?" She turned toward him, "You really don't see it?" He and Harry shook their heads. "Are all boys this stupid?" she asked herself. Before either one could do more than breathe in to say something back, she said something that made their mouths drop open in disbelief instead. Ginny leaned in closer, "She's in love," she whispered to them.

Ron fell face first off his chair onto the floor. The loud thump he made stirred up a few giggles from the around the common room. Harry choked on a blue bean he had been chewing until Ginny hit him on the back.

"Thanks," he said hoarsely. Ron sat up from the floor, and managed to sputter "In love? How can she be in love?"

"Look at the facts," Ginny started, "she barely pays any attention in class, plus she's always humming, and smiling." Harry nodded it made sense, but now there was a bigger question to answer. Ron beat him to it, "So...who is she in love with?" Ginny shrugged, "How am I supposed to know? Although, whoever he is, he isn't in this room."

"Why do you say that?", both boys asked.

OHMYGOSH! WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

WHO IS HERMIONE IN LOVE WITH?

WHY IS HARRY SO BAD AT READING LIPS?

DID HERMIONE REALLY GO TO THE LIBRARY?

HOW DOES GINNY KNOW THAT THE MAN HERMIONE LOVES ISN'T IN THE COMMON ROOM?

SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED BUT THE REST YOU ARE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT YOURSELVES! :)

PLEASE REVIEW AND I'LL PROMISE TO WRITE MORE!

LOVE, PINEAPPLEKISSES


	2. Chapter 2: Lies, Cloaks and Sneezes!

**Chapter 2-Lies, Cloaks, and Sneezes, OH MY!**

Harry and Ron were standing in their dormitory arguing. They didn't sound loud enough to be too upset, but just enough to discourage any of their roommates from entering. The whole discussion was Ron coming up with a plan to find out who Hermione was in love with and Harry saying they should just forget it and enjoy a quiet Sunday.

"Listen Harry, it's the perfect plan," Ron said trying to convince his friend to go along with him. "We get dressed in our Quidditch robes, grab our brooms and you can take your invisibility cloak in," Ron scrambled about the room, "…in this" he tossed a duffle bag at Harry who caught it with a surprised face.

"And then," Ron continues excitedly, "we'll tell her we have emergency Quidditch practice, stash our stuff somewhere and follow her around to catch her in the act. It's fool proof!" The redhead beamed at his friend as he tossed his arms in the air.

Harry frowned, " But there is a problem with your plan." Ron just blinked surprised at Harry. "What?" he said, "How can there be a problem?" "Well," Harry drew out the word, thinking of a way to put what he was going to say without making Ron feel dim.

"What if she sees someone else on the team…and what if she asks why they aren't at practice with us?" He smiled sheepishly. Ron's face fell, "Oh…I hadn't thought of that." He stared at the floor and tapped his chin. A minute later he spoke.

"Okay, I got it," he clapped his hands and looked up. Harry sat on his bed in a huff, "Let's hear it then." "Right, you'll tell her we have to help Professor Sprout with the Tentacula." He looked at Harry, who gazed back expecting more.

"That's it?"

"Yep, that's it."

"Why do I have to tell her?" Harry didn't want to lie to Hermione; she was his friend. "Because, she trusts you more than me. She doesn't think you would lie to her." Ron stated matter-of-factly.

Harry's stomach twisted, this just made him feel even guiltier about Ron's plan. Although…he was curious and he knew she would never tell. Hermione was good at keeping secrets, especially her own. He groaned, defeated.

"So are you in or not?"

Harry ran his hand through his already messy hair and sighed, "I guess I'm in. You are my best mate and I can't let you do something stupid unless I'm there to see it."

"Great! Now hurry up, grab your cloak. We have to go down while she's still in the common room."

"Bye Hermione!" Ron said cheerily as he and Harry passed her sitting on a couch in the common room. She looked up from her book, confused "Where are you going?" Ron elbowed Harry in the ribs. "Uh…we have to go help Professor Sprout"

Hermione, never void of questions, asked lightly "With what?" Harry blinked; _you can do this Potter _"With the Tentacula. She wanted us to help her prune them."

"She asked **you** two?" Hermione almost scoffed. Ron butted in then, "Yes she did and you know Harry, he can't say 'no'." Hermione smiled, "Well then, I'm glad you two are helping Professor Sprout. I was just going to go to the library anyway."

Now Ron smiled, although his was more of a smirk. "Ok, well have a nice day. See you at dinner." He pushed Harry forward to get him moving toward the portrait hole.

Harry waved a goodbye to Hermione, who was on her way upstairs to grab her bag. She waved back, frowning slightly. _Hmmm, _he thought.

Ron shoved him again. "Ow, Ron!"

"Sorry mate, but we have to hurry. Come on"

Still confused Harry climbed through the portrait hole. He turned the corner onto a deserted corridor. Both boys stopped and Harry pulled the Invisibility Cloak from his pocket. Ron looked around to make sure no one was coming.

"Handy charm," he said quietly. "I'll say," Ron whispered back. Last week in Charms class, Professor Flitwick had taught them how to shrink a folded object down to the perfect size for holding it in a pocket. Otherwise the cloak would have been much too big. _What a coincidence. _

Harry looked at Ron, "Ready?" He nodded, "Let's go." Harry unfolded his cloak then took out his wand and mumbled a spell, _"__Magnus Iterum"_. The cloak began grow and become larger; in a matter of seconds it was back to it's original size. He then draped it over Ron and himself. "It's shorter than I remember," Ron whispered. Harry just nodded.

They made their way back down the corridor and reached the portrait hole just in time to see Hermione climb out. She headed down the corridor to the stairs.

Harry and Ron followed as best they could. Trying not to make any noise and keep up with Hermione was rather hard. Once she almost caught them when Harry sneezed, but luckily a first year passed by at that moment. "Bless you," Hermione had said and the girl just looked at her confused.

Finally, Hermione led her invisible pursuers to the library, where she picked up a book and sat down at a table to read. Hermione turned each page slowly and carefully, trying not to tear the frail paper. The book was very old. You could tell from the thick coat of dust that covered it.

"This is going to be a looooong day," Ron had muttered.

**Dear HP lovers, I know it's kinda boring-ish. But I promise it will get better. :) And I'm sorry I didn't finish very fast but I had a terrible case of writer's block and couldn't write for weeks! But now I'm back and the next chapter will be out soon (I hope!) Reviewers get a sparkly purple pen!**

**Love, Pineapple Kisses**


	3. Chapter 3: Dear Diary

**Chapter 3-Dear Diary**

The boys trudged up the stairs. Their footsteps echoing loudly off the walls. They were too tired to care about Filch catching them. Finally, they made it to the common room, where they immediately flopped onto the coziest armchairs by the fire.

"Harry," Ron whispered after a few minutes, "are you alive?" Harry groaned and opened an eye, "I don't want to be." Ron laughed, and then moaned. "Ahhhhhh, it hurts everywhere! I can't believe Snape made us…" "Stop!" Harry interrupted, "If you say it, then I'm going to be sick." Ron just nodded, keeping his eyes closed.

Harry looked around the common room. He thought about yesterday afternoon. The reason he and Ron were in so much pain (then gagged) and…Hermione. Harry was getting worried about her. She still wasn't herself. Harry had hoped it was just something that after time would blow over. But it wasn't. He shook his head, not wanting to think about how sad he was over her.

Instead he thought about why he just had the most horrible evening of his life. Not what he did, just how he got there. He and Ron had been following Hermione around the castle, when it began to get very hot underneath the cloak. So Ron had suggested that since she hadn't seen them yet and they were apparently very good at sneaking behind people that they should just take it off.

Harry agreed and soon, the cloak was back in his pocket and he and Ron felt much better. _It's a good thing no one was around, _Harry thought, _otherwise we would have looked stupid following her like that._ So Ron and Harry were sneaking behind their friend, but not too close.

All of the sudden, she half-turned around. Ron had almost walked around the corner when he backed up and bumped into Harry behind him, who tripped backwards into Snape carrying a bowl of snail guts. The goo had spilled all over the front of Snape's robes and his shoes. Harry grinned at the memory.

Snape had looked so mad it was almost comical. Harry had looked at the floor and then at his professor's face, "Sorry Professor", Harry had mumbled. Snape said only one word…"detention", with a wicked snarl on his face before walking away.

Harry sighed loudly, _Stupid Snape. _His eyes roved the room again, not really seeing. He stopped. Hermione's schoolbag was on the floor in front of the couch. "Ron," Harry whispered. His friend just snored. "Ron," Harry said again, this time kicking Ron's foot at the same time. "What? I'm awake! What is it?" he nearly yelled, jerking awake.

"Look." Harry pointed.

"Hermione's bag?"

"Yeah, do you think she left it?"

Ron stood up, "I don't know, Harry." He kneeled down heavily in front of the bag and unzipped it. "Ron!" Harry sat up, "What are you doing?"

Ron sighed and turned toward Harry, "I want to see if there's anything in here that will tell us something." He turned back to the bag and began taking out things, like books and a pencil case. Harry got up and sat down on the couch, elbow on a knee resting his head on his hand.

"Find anything?" he asked. "Not really…whoah! What do we have here?" Ron pulled up a small purple book and waved it. Harry grabbed it, "a diary?" he said bewildered. "I didn't know she had a diary." Ron sat on the couch, "Apparently there's a lot we didn't know about her" he shrugged, sadly, "Come on, open it." Harry fingered the satin ribbon coming out of the bottom of the book, marking the last entry. _It's for her own good, _he decided and opened the book.

_Tuesday, _

I don't know how it happened! It's the craziest thing! One day everything is as it should be, I was doing homework in the library and then BAM! He was there. And it hit me…I can't believe I never saw it before. He's…wow. That's the only word I can think of right now…he's in my head all of the time! Ugh! Why do I feel this way? Why now? Why not before? Is it because he's matured? Or have I matured and finally realized that he's amazing and I want him? This is all so confusing!

"Wow," Ron whispered. "I had no idea," Harry replied. Ron took the book and flipped the page, "Hey look, there's more."

_Wednesday,_

Okay, I've thought it over and I've realized something. In order to find out what is wrong with me…I need…to talk to him. Eeeeeeppppp! Just the thought of it makes my insides squirm! I don't know if I can do this, but I've got to! It's the only way I can get things back to normal! I just hope I don't say anything stupid… or get sick all over him, because that's what I feel like doing.

Ron flipped the page, "Hey, that's it?". He flipped another page, then another. Harry grabbed it from him, "Ron! There's no more!" Ron frowned, "but how can that be it? She wrote that on Wednesday, it's Monday now!" Harry gently placed the ribbon back in it's original place, "Thanks, for stating the obvious." Ron snorted, "I'm serious Harry, it's been four days since she wrote that. Something else must have happened."

Harry placed Hermione's things back in her bag and zipped it up. He patted his friend's shoulder, "I couldn't tell you, but we should get to upstairs." He stood and waited for Ron to join him. Ron waved his hand, "You go on. I'm going to stay here for a bit." Harry walked to the stairs, concerned.

He's just in shock is all, I am too. I never thought Hermione would keep a secret like this. Harry sighed as he lay on his bed. Then he took off his glasses and rolled over. He fell asleep quickly, to blurry and confusing dreams.

**Awwwwwwwwweee…poor Harry is worried about his friend. And Ron seems pretty bummed out, too. Don't worry my friends, all will be well in the end…mostly. I just hope you don't all come after me with baseball bats…or magic wands! We are getting closer to the big reveal, though! The next chapter will be very hard to write, but I'll try not to take too long!**

**This chapter is for FujaBlue-who added me as one of her favorite authors! And BlythDoll who added the story to her Favorites list! You guys are the best!**

**Love, PineappleKisses**


	4. Chapter 4: The End of the World

**Chapter 4: ****The End of the World**

Ron and Harry were both tremendously exhausted. Devoid of any conversation they trudged up to the castle from the Quidditch pitch. Harry had put the Gryffindor Quidditch team through a rather rigorous practice in anticipation for the upcoming match against Hufflepuff. The whole team had worked very hard and Harry was confident about their chances of winning. So much in fact that he ended practice an hour early (Oliver Wood would've been appalled).

Although…the whole time Ron had seemed distracted, but Harry could understand why. He was worried about Hermione. She had gotten quieter and quieter in class, so that now she hardly spoke at all. Her notes had become no more than absentminded doodles. She even started dotting her i's with tiny hearts. It was definitely not Hermione-ish behavior…and it worried him. Harry glanced at his silent friend beside him. Even in the dark he could see Ron's face was grim.

* * *

Harry was right. Ron was going over all that had happened the past week for the thousandth time. _How could she keep secrets from us? _It didn't seem normal for Hermione to be in love; she just didn't seem like the kind of girl to get caught up in a guy. She was so focused on school and the library seemed to be her favorite place in the world.

And who was the guy? Who was it that stole her heart? And what kind of guy would love Hermione? Better yet, what kind of guy did you have to be to have Hermione love you? Ron shook his head in a futile attempt to dislodge his rabid thoughts. It's not like he had feelings for her or anything.

Still…he did wonder what would happen if it was he she had feelings for. In his head, Ron saw Hermione; bushy, brown hair framing her face, deep chocolate eyes, her soft pink lips…Ron blinked. What was he thinking? He didn't like Hermione that way. They'd known each other for years and were best friends…sort of. There was no reason for him to be fighting these feelings; they shouldn't even exist.

He sneaked a peek at Harry walking next to him, clueless to the turmoil bubbling inside his friend.

The boys turned a corner into the courtyard and Harry stopped. Ron, enveloped in his own thoughts, had walked a couple of steps before noticing. He turned around and saw Harry staring with wide eyes and a slightly gaping mouth. Ron, confused, looked around to find the source of his friend's strange behavior. He found it.

The wall in front of him had a bench with a window above it; and there sat Hermione. Now normally this would have been a perfectly regular thing for Hermione to do as she sometimes waited for Harry and Ron here. Except that now she had company. There sitting rather close to Hermione was (dramatic pause)…Draco Malfoy.

Ron stopped breathing. His mind was whirling and he could see nothing but Hermione and her unusual company.

Draco was holding her hand tenderly. Not only that but they were smiling at each other in a way the two boys had never seen on either face. Hermione gazed at Draco and then he leaned toward her and whispered something in her ear that made her blush.

Then came the part that made Ron's stomach churn and sizzle with hatred and disgust…but mostly hurt.

He kissed her.

She kissed him.

They KISSED each other.

Not just a peck on the cheek. But a full on the lips kind of passionate kiss that makes girls swoon and boy's hands sweaty at the thought. The kind of kiss that had been shared between lovers through the ages. Elizabeth and Darcy. Sandy and Danny. Elvis and Priscilla. Spider-Man and Mary Jane. Troy and Gabriela. The kind where his left hand was gently caressing her cheek while the other moved slowly up and down her back and her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck with her hands lost in his hair.

Harry and Ron were stunned by the impossibility of the situation, feeling that surely this was all in their imagination. They had been standing there for almost a minute before it sunk in that what they were seeing was actually happening and either of them broke out of their shocked stupor and managed to say something. Well, it was actually Harry but that didn't matter. "Oi!" he shouted, "What's going on here?" To Ron it sounded muffled and foggy. The startled couple broke apart to see that they weren't as alone as they thought.

"Harry, Ron I…I thought…why aren't you at practice?" Hermione stammered. Harry could have laughed, like she had the right to be angry. Slinking around the castle with Malfoy. Lying to him and Ron. "I ended practice early," Harry said gruffly. "Thought you said you were going to be with Ginny," Ron managed to say hoarsely. Harry glanced his way. Ron's throat felt dry and he was looking down at his feet trying to stay steady and not fall over. His hand was gripping his broom so hard his knuckles stood out white against his already pale skin. Hermione just blushed nervously and had the gall to glance at Draco.

Harry scowled at the two of them, "So what's going on here?"

Hermione looked at the floor and mumbled something that was hard to distinguish.

Draco puffed out his chest, "What's it to you, Potter?"

"Shutt up!" Ron glared at Draco; there was no mistaking the anger there. The blonde boy squinted back at him. "What was that, Weasley?" He sneered at the name, as if saying it caused him revulsion.

"I said 'shutt up'," his voice was shaking with outrage even though he tried to sound calm. Ron stepped forward; he was taller than Draco.

"You must have gotten hit with a bludger out there, Weasley."

"Maybe, you want me to show you how it felt?" Ron advanced on Draco, his wand raised; freckled face contorted into a wicked grimace. Harry had stepped up next to him pulling his wand out from his pocket, but Ron barely noticed. Draco in retaliation took out his lightly colored wand and pointed it at Ron's chest, but before any of them could utter a curse Hermione rushed between them.

"No! Stop it!" she shouted. Ron's eyes darted to her face that had tears running down her cheeks. His heart broke at the sight. But then he looked back at his opponent and the grief rushed out of him to be replaced by a maddening fury. It was **his** fault that she was upset. **His** fault that things weren't how they were supposed to be.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Ron shouted, pointing his wand past Hermione toward Draco. But he was quick and blocked it with his wand, "Expelliarmus!" Ron just ducked out of the way, he sniggered wildly, "Is that the best you got? Putrid little ferret." Draco glared fiercely; apparently he was at a loss for words. He lifted his wand at Ron again, but before he could cast his curse Ron yelled, "Effrego!" while pointing at Draco's wand.

The piece of wood broke in half with red sparks flashing out of it. The holder dropped it and cursed under his breath, holding his injured hand then cast his vengeful eyes on Ron. Then he ran at Ron with his fist raised and hit him in the gut. The wind was knocked out of the redhead and he dropped his wand. Harry managed to pick it up and yelled, "Locomotor Mortis!" at Draco whose legs snapped together and he suddenly fell over and lay wriggling on the floor trying to get back up.

Harry ran over to his friend bent over the ground. "You okay?" he asked concern in his voice. "Peachy," Ron replied breathing harshly. Through his watering eyes he saw Hermione rush over to Draco on the floor and wave her wand over his legs, releasing him of the curse. _She's still on his side, _he thought bitterly. He now had a new reason to hate Draco Malfoy.

Harry helped Ron up the castle to Gryffindor tower, leaving a wet-faced Hermione behind with a swearing Draco.

Ron collapsed on his bed and pulled the heavy red curtains to block him from Harry's view. As the moon traveled across the velvet sky he lay in bed letting wave after wave of anguish wash over him, numbing his senses and dulling his thoughts. Behind his eyelids all he saw was her face, tears trickling from her eyes. He didn't sleep out of fear of his dreams, but whenever he blinked…there she was.

* * *

hey guys!

I'm SO sorry I took so long! This part was hard to write, I'm not good at fight scenes! But i hope you liked it!  
But I'm not done yet! I still have one last chapter where Ron confronts his feelings, check it out...

"Ron walked along the corridors not heading in any direction, lost in his thoughts. His lonely footsteps echoing hollowly against the stone walls.  
Hermione...there was so much emotion attached to that name: confusion, disbelief, sadness, jealousy and love.  
He stopped walking. Love? Did he love Hermione? How could that be possible" He rubbed his face and groaned in frustration. This was all so confusing."

So? What did you think? Please review and tell me what's on your noggin. Let me know if you hate it! and again I LOVE YOU ALL!

p.s. i apologize to jessirose85 who asked me to pair her with Neville. I felt that Hermione and Draco are adorable, but don't worry I have a surprise for you! :P

p.p.s. to Little rose, this chapter was originally WAY longer but I split it. And I didn't want to cause people blindness by having them read on the computer for so long!  
but thanks for the review! it means a lot!


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